[Persons, networks and institutions: on the founding of the German Society of History of Medicine and Natural Sciences].

In what way did the process of founding the "Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geschichte der Medizin und Naturwissenschaften" (1901), the world's oldest society for the history of science develop? This article combines approaches of the historiography of institutions with concepts focusing on individual persons. During the early period of the process August Hirsch and Theodor Puschmann were the most relevant scientists. The history of the "Gesellschaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Arzte" (GDNA) and their annual meetings mirror the difficult connection of medical history and medical geography or tropical medicine. It was the special ability of Karl Sudhoff to create networks which led to the emancipation and foundation of the DGGMN; nevertheless, the preliminary work of scientists like Hendrik Peypers, Felix von Oefele, Georg Kahlbaum, Julius Pagel or Max Neuburger and others must not be forgotten when analysing the crucial years around 1900. Sudhoff was the dominant personality then; different conceptions of the new discipline in addition to some severe conflicts are documented by newly found manuscripts and correspondences.